Vertical hall effect sensor

ABSTRACT

In one aspect, a vertical Hall effect sensor includes a semiconductor wafer having a first conductivity type and a plurality of semiconductive electrodes disposed on the semiconductor wafer. The plurality of semiconductive electrodes have the first conductivity type and include a source electrode, a first sensing electrode and a second sensing electrode, arranged such that the source electrode is between the first sensing electrode and the sensing electrode and a first drain electrode and a second drain electrode, arranged such that the first sensing electrode, second sensing electrode, and source electrode are between the first drain electrode and the second drain electrode. The vertical Hall effect sensor also includes a plurality of semiconductor fingers disposed on the semiconductor wafer and interdigitated with the plurality of semiconductive electrodes, the semiconductor fingers having a second conductivity type.

BACKGROUND

The Hall effect is a phenomenon whereby moving charged particles are deflected by a magnetic field within a charge carrier. This phenomenon has been put to practical use in Hall effect sensors utilizing a current through a semiconductor. The preferable current path in the semiconductor is modified by magnetic fields through the wafer. By detecting the preferred current path, the direction and magnetic field through the semiconductor wafer may be determined.

In practice, many Hall effect sensors use silicon wafers doped to create N-type or P-type semiconductors. Vertical Hall effect sensors are so called because they are used to measure magnetic fields in the plane of the wafer. In practice, many vertical Hall effect detectors employ multiple Hall effect sensors on a single semiconductor substrate, in order to more accurately detect the direction and magnitude of a magnetic field passing through the substrate.

SUMMARY

In one aspect, a vertical Hall effect sensor includes a semiconductor wafer having a first conductivity type and a plurality of semiconductive electrodes disposed on the semiconductor wafer. The plurality of semiconductive electrodes have the first conductivity type and include a source electrode, a first sensing electrode and a second sensing electrode, arranged such that the source electrode is between the first sensing electrode and the sensing electrode and a first drain electrode and a second drain electrode, arranged such that the first sensing electrode, second sensing electrode, and source electrode are between the first drain electrode and the second drain electrode. The vertical Hall effect sensor also includes a plurality of semiconductor fingers disposed on the semiconductor wafer and interdigitated with the plurality of semiconductive electrodes, the semiconductor fingers having a second conductivity type.

In another aspect, a magnetic field sensing device includes as plurality of vertical Hall effect sensors interdigitated between electrodes of the Hall effect sensor. Each vertical Hall effect sensor includes electrically floating semiconductor fingers and the plurality of vertical Hall effect sensors are arranged in a toroid within a semiconductor wafer.

In a further aspect, a method of making a vertical Hall effect sensor, includes forming an epitaxial layer of a semiconductor with a first conductivity type on a semiconductor substrate with a second conductivity type, selectively doping at least five electrodes with the first conductivity type on a surface of the epitaxial layer, selectively doping at least four semiconductor fingers that are interdigitated with the at least five electrodes, the at least four semiconductor fingers having the second conductivity type and selectively doping at least one blanket region with the first conductivity type within the epitaxial layer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top view of a magnetic field sensing device utilizing vertical Hall effect sensors.

FIG. 2 is a perspective cut-away view of a vertical Hall effect sensor along line 2-2.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a vertical Hall effect sensor along line 3-3.

FIGS. 4A-4C are charts depicting equipotential lines in vertical Hall effect sensors.

FIG. 5 is a chart depicting linearity of signal output of vertical Hall effect sensors.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Described herein are techniques to detect magnetic fields in the plane of a semiconductor wafer. Due to advances in semiconductor technology, very small devices are capable of being made relatively quickly and easily. The underlying physics of the Hall effect is understood, but creating high output and linearity of that output remains a technological challenge.

FIG. 1 is a top view of Hall sensor device 10. Hall sensor device 10 includes semiconductor wafer 12 and vertical Hall effect sensors 14. Hall sensor device 10 is a device capable of sensing magnetic fields. For example, Hall sensor device 10 is capable of sensing magnetic fields in any direction in the plane including vertical Hall effect sensors 14. Semiconductor wafer 12 is a piece of semiconducting material, for example a wafer cut from a silicon boule. Semiconductor wafer 12 may be doped to be N-type or P-type, for example by using a phosphorous dopant to add charge carriers to a silicon wafer. Semiconductor wafer 12 may vary widely in size depending on the intended use of Hall sensor device 10. Typical sizes for vertical Hall sensors may be in the millimeter to micrometer range. The thickness of semiconductor wafer 12 affects maximum possible depth of current flow, and is often in the micrometer range. For example, it is very typical for a semiconductor wafer to be about 600 microns thick. However, only the top, epitaxial portion is important for the Hall sensor. This epitaxial portion is in the micrometer range, and could be as thin as perhaps 0.3 microns or as thick as perhaps 200 microns. In one particular example, the thickness of the epitaxial portion is about 7 microns. Semiconductor wafer 12 may be formed in alternative geometries.

While semiconductor wafer 12 as shown in FIG. 1 is a right cylinder, alternative geometries for semiconductor wafer 12 may include rectangular prisms or parallelograms. Semiconductor wafer 12 has an epitaxial portion, which includes all of semiconductor wafer 12 that is not doped as an electrode (FIGS. 2-3: 118, 120A-120B, 122A-122B), an implant layer (FIG. 3, 228), or a semiconductor finger (FIG. 2, 124A-124D). Doping levels within the epitaxial portion of semiconductor wafer 12 may be modified in order to facilitate desired current flow. For example, retrograde dopant profiles may be used, in which the dopant level of semiconductor wafer 12 is increased or decreased with depth beneath the surface of semiconductor wafer 12 on which vertical Hall effect sensors 14 are arranged. This retrograde dopant profile may be beneficial in that it may be used to increase or decrease the depth at which current flows through semiconductor wafer 12. Preferred paths for electrons flowing within semiconductor wafer 12 may be created by selectively doping regions of semiconductor wafer 12 with higher and lower levels of dopant, which modifies the charge carrier density therein. Modification of the charge carrier density affects resistivity of semiconductor materials.

In one example, vertical Hall effect sensors 14 are modified vertical Hall effect sensors vertical Hall effect detectors. vertical Hall effect sensors 14 are typically made of a semiconductor material with various doping levels in different regions based on desired characteristics of Hall sensor device 10. In Hall sensor device 10 as shown in FIG. 1, there are thirty-six vertical Hall effect sensors 14. In alternative embodiments, there may be more or fewer vertical Hall effect sensors 14, depending on the desired output from Hall sensor device 10. For example, alternative Hall sensor devices may only require one Hall feature, or may utilize several thousand vertical Hall effect sensors, or any number in between. vertical Hall effect sensors 14 are modified in order to increase the linearity and/or magnitude of the electrical signal produced in response to a magnetic field.

Hall sensor device 10 is made up of semiconductor wafer 12 with vertical Hall effect sensors 14 built into at least one of its surfaces. Electrodes (shown in FIG. 2) may be connected in such a way that the output from each of vertical Hall effect sensors 14 may be measured, and the direction and strength of a magnetic field through Hall sensor device 10 may be determined. Semiconductor wafer 12 may be any wafer of semiconductive material, for example silicon. Often, the wafer is grown epitaxially, to facilitate the fabrication of regions with different doping levels. vertical Hall effect sensors 14 may be electrically connected to a meter (not shown) for data output, and in alternative embodiments may be either electrically connected to one another or electrically insulated from one another.

In use, Hall sensor device 10 can be used to measure the strength and direction of magnetic fields within the plane containing vertical Hall effect sensors 14. Each Vertical Hall effect sensor 14 can measure the strength of the magnetic field in one direction. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, each Vertical Hall effect sensor 14 is arranged such that it can measure the field in a direction radially inward or outward from the center of semiconductor wafer 12. Various alternate configurations will be recognized by those skilled in the art. vertical Hall effect sensors 14 measure the strength of the magnetic field using Hall effect physics; thus, as the direction of the magnetic field being measured becomes perpendicular to the radially inner face of any Vertical Hall effect sensor 14, the difference between the outputs from that Hall vertical Hall effect sensor 14 will increase. Conversely, as the direction of the magnetic field being measured becomes parallel to the radially inner face of any Hall vertical Hall effect sensor 14, the difference between the outputs from that Hall vertical Hall effect sensor 14 will decrease.

An important aspect of Hall sensor device 10 is the modification of vertical Hall effect sensors 14. The modifications to vertical Hall effect sensors 14, as will be described with respect to FIGS. 2 and 3, allow for greater accuracy of Hall sensor device 10.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of vertical Hall effect sensor 14 taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1. FIG. 2 shows semiconductor wafer 12 and isolation layer 16, as well as vertical Hall effect sensor 14. vertical Hall effect sensor 14 includes source electrode 118, sense electrodes 120A and 120B, and drain electrodes 122A and 122B. vertical Hall effect sensor 14 further includes p-fingers 124A, 124B, 124C, and 124D. Semiconductor wafer 12 is any semiconductor layer, such as an N-type phosphorous doped silicon wafer. Isolation layer 16 is a layer of material which can prevent electrical current from flowing from source electrode 118 out of semiconductor wafer 12. For example, isolation layer 16 may be an insulator or a P-type semiconductor. Source electrode 118, sense electrodes 120A and 120B, and drain electrodes 122A and 122B are electrodes used for measuring magnetic field through vertical Hall effect sensor 14. These electrodes may be, for example, relatively heavily doped N-type semiconductor materials as compared to the dopant level in the epitaxial portion of semiconductor wafer 12. P-fingers 124A-124D, in contrast, are P-type regions arranged between sense, drain, and source electrodes. While FIG. 2 shows one potential configuration, those of skill in the art will recognize that in alternative embodiments the dopant type may be reversed; that is, the p-fingers could be made of N-type semiconductor material and the epitaxial portion of semiconductor wafer 12 as well as source electrode 118, sense electrodes 120A-120B, and drain electrodes 122A-122B may be P-type. For convenience and clarity, throughout this application the epitaxial semiconductor and electrodes are referred to as N-type, and the isolation layer and p-fingers are referred to as P-type.

As shown in FIG. 2, isolation layer 16 forms a substrate upon which semiconductor wafer 12 is arranged. On the surface of semiconductor wafer 12 that is opposite isolation layer 16, several features are formed. These features include source electrode 118, which as shown in FIG. 2 is a bar-shaped electrode which is positively biased from ground. In alternative embodiments, source electrode may be held at a specific voltage greater than the voltage at drain electrodes 122A-122B. Sense electrodes 120A and 120B are disposed along the same surface of semiconductor wafer 12, and are also bar shaped electrodes. Sense electrodes 120A and 120B are arranged on opposite sides of source electrode 118. Sense electrodes 120A and 120B are electrically connected to a meter that determines the extent to which current preferentially flows to each of sense electrodes 120A and 120B. P-finger 124B is arranged between source electrode 118 and sense electrode 120A, and p-finger 124C is arranged between source electrode 118 and sense electrode 120B. Each of p-fingers 124B and 124C are bar-shaped regions of P-type semiconductor. Drain electrodes 122A and 122B are also N-type bar-shaped electrodes disposed along the same surface of semiconductor wafer 12 as source electrode 118, sense electrodes 120A-120B, and p-fingers 124B-124C. Drain electrode 122A is arranged opposite sense electrode 120A from source electrode 118, and drain electrode 122B is arranged opposite sense electrode 120B from source electrode 118. P-finger 124A is arranged between drain electrode 122A and sense electrode 120A, and p-finger 124D is arranged between drain electrode 122B and sense electrode 120B. Drain electrodes 122A-122B are connected to ground. In alternative embodiments, drain electrodes 122A-122B and source electrode 118 may be kept at a constant voltage, so long as there is a voltage difference between source electrode 118 and drain electrodes 122A-122B. An example of a magnetic field is also shown as magnetic field B.

Vertical Hall effect sensor 14 as shown in FIG. 2 utilizes Hall effect physics to measure magnetic field. In particular, magnetic fields within semiconductor wafer 12 cause current to flow preferentially to either drain electrode 122A or 122B. In general, moving charged particles with a velocity {right arrow over (v)} and a charge q₀ are subject to a force {right arrow over (F)}_(Hall) in magnetic field {right arrow over (B)}, where {right arrow over (F)}_(Hall)=q₀{right arrow over (v)}×{right arrow over (B)}. Therefore, magnetic field B as shown in FIG. 2 would cause negative charge carriers moving from source electrode 118 toward isolation layer 16 to “drift” toward drain electrode 122B. A magnetic field in the opposite direction of magnetic field B would cause negative charge carriers to preferentially drift toward drain electrode 122A, and a magnetic field perpendicular to B would cause no preferential drift, so the voltage at sense electrode 120A would be roughly equivalent to the voltage at sense electrode 120B. The deeper the current flows through semiconductor wafer 12, the greater the Hall effect on the moving charges, and the greater preferential drift towards either drain electrode 122A or drain electrode 122B. This preferential drift causes the voltage at sense electrodes 120A-120B to vary depending on magnetic field. P-fingers 124A-124D create depletion regions (FIG. 3, 226) between source electrode 118, sense electrodes 120A-120B, and drain electrodes 122A-122B.

While the diagram in FIG. 2 is not necessarily to scale, it should be noted that p-fingers 124A-124D are floated, as opposed to grounded. This makes the depletion region surrounding p-fingers 124A-124D smaller than in a configuration having grounded p-fingers. As a result, greater linearity of the output with respect to increased magnetic field is achieved. Further, P-fingers 124A-124D are narrower than the P-type regions used previously in vertical Hall devices. P-fingers 124A-124D may be, for example, between 0.5 micrometers and 1.2 micrometers in width, or more particularly between 0.6 micrometers and 0.8 micrometers in width, or even more particularly between 0.6 and 0.7 micrometers in width, for a semiconductor wafer that is 10 micrometers thick. Both of these changes—narrowing P-fingers 124A-124D and floating them as opposed to grounding them—result in increased linearity of the output from vertical Hall effect sensor 14. Both of these changes would, without further modifications to vertical Hall effect sensor 14, result in shallower current flow depth, which, as previously described, would result in less signal output with greater linearity.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of vertical Hall effect sensor 14 taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2. FIG. 3 shows source electrode 118, sense electrode 120A, and drain electrode 122A. As in FIG. 2, p-fingers 124A and 124B are interdigitated between source electrode 219, sense electrode 120A, and drain electrode 122A. All of the electrodes and p-fingers are arranged within semiconductor wafer 12, which is arranged epitaxially on top of isolation layer 16. Additionally, FIG. 3 shows depletion region 226 and N-type blankets 228. N-type blankets 228 are regions with higher levels of N-type dopant than the surrounding epitaxial layers of semiconductor material 12. As such, N-type blankets 228 have higher charge carrier density and lower resistivity.

N-type blankets 228 shown in FIG. 3 are arranged within semiconductor wafer 12. The depth of N-type blankets 228 does not exceed the depth of depletion regions 226 which form around P-type fingers 124A-124B. Current preferentially flows through paths with the least resistance. Since N-type blankets 228 have higher charge carrier density and thus lower resistivity than the surrounding epitaxial portion of semiconductor material 12, current preferentially flows through N-type blankets 228 as opposed to areas with lower charge carrier density, such as the epitaxial region of semiconductor wafer 12. N-type blankets 228 therefore cause current flow to be deeper than it would otherwise flow. Depletion regions 226 have relatively high resistivity due to a lack of charge carriers, while N-type blankets 228 have relatively low resistivity due to a high concentration of charge carriers. Accordingly, charge prefers to flow through N-type blankets 228, which are arranged such that current flows downwards and around depletion regions 226. This deeper current flow, as previously described, results in higher signal levels than devices with shallow current flow.

In combination, N-type blankets 228 and narrow floating p-fingers 124A-124B create high levels of signal and increased linearity of such signal in response to increasing magnetic field, respectively. Both of these aspects are highly desired in magnetic field sensing devices such as vertical Hall effect sensing devices. Linearity of the signal allows for greater accuracy and precision in measurements. Deeper current flow and the associated high levels of signal are desirable for similar reasons; small percentage differences in output are more easily measurable when the overall output is larger.

FIGS. 4A-4C show equipotential lines in vertical Hall effect sensors (e.g., vertical Hall effect detectors). The data shown in FIGS. 4A-4C are based on modeled data, rather than actual test data. FIGS. 4A-4C are cross-sectional views of a Hall detector in operation, with equipotential lines superimposed. FIG. 4A includes source electrode 318A, sense electrode 320A, and drain electrode 322A, each of which is a semiconductor region which is more heavily doped than semiconductor wafer 112A. The embodiment shown in FIG. 4A also includes semiconductor fingers 326A, which are semiconductor regions with a conductivity type that is not the same as that of semiconductor wafer 112A. For example, if semiconductor wafer 112A is a p-type semiconductor wafer, then semiconductor fingers 326A would be made of n-type semiconductor material. Depletion region 328A is outlined. FIGS. 4B-4C includes similar parts to those shown in FIG. 4A, including semiconductor wafers 112B-112C, source electrodes 318B-318C, sense electrodes 320B-320C, drain electrodes 322B-322C, semiconductor fingers 326B-326C, and depletion regions 328B-328C. As in FIG. 4A, semiconductor wafer 112B, source electrode 318B, sense electrode 320B, and drain electrode 322B-322C are semiconductor regions with a first conductivity type, and semiconductor fingers 326B-326C are made of a semiconductor material with a second conductivity type. In contrast with FIG. 4A, FIGS. 4B-4C also include blanket implants 327B-327C. All three semiconductor wafers 112A-112C have the same level of dopant in their respective epitaxial (non-blanket implant) portions. Blanket implant 327C has a higher level of dopant than blanket implant 327B. Equipotential lines are shown as alternating dash-dot lines.

The order of source electrodes 318A-318C, sense electrodes 320A-320C, drain electrodes 322A-322C and semiconductor fingers 326A-326C follows the pattern described in previously described embodiments: sense electrodes 320A-320C are arranged between source electrodes 318A-318C and drain electrodes 322A-322C, and the electrodes are interdigitated with semiconductor fingers 326A-326C. In FIG. 4A, no blanket implants are present. In FIG. 4B, blanket layer 327B is present within semiconductor wafer 112B. In FIG. 4C, blanket layer 327C is present within semiconductor wafer 112C. Blanket implants 327B-327C are arranged within semiconductor wafers 112B and 112C, but do not extend as far beneath the surface of semiconductor wafers 112B and 112C as depletion regions 326B and 326C, respectively.

An electrical potential difference is provided between source electrodes 318A-318C and their associated drain electrodes 322A-322C. The voltage in semiconductor wafers 112A-112C varies by position based on the relative size and placement of blanket implants 327B-327C, the charge carrier density within the epitaxial (non-blanket implant) portion of semiconductor wafers 112A-112C, and the relative size and location of depletion regions 328A-328C.

By comparing the depth of the equipotential lines, the effect of blanket implants on current flow depth is observable. For example, the current flow depth in FIG. 4B is deeper than the current flow depth in FIG. 4A, and the current flow depth in FIG. 4C is deeper than the current flow depth in FIG. 4C. The change in current flow depth is attributable to the existence and/or doping level of blanket implants in each embodiment. Often, a larger current flow depth is desirable as a mechanism for increasing the output level of a Hall effect device.

FIG. 5 is a chart depicting linearity of signal output of vertical Hall effect sensors. The data shown in FIG. 5 is based on models of expected performance, and not on actual test data. dV/dI Delta % is a measure of the change in voltage output per change in current through the Hall effect sensor. Line 440 is the output curve for a vertical Hall effect sensor without a blanket implant and with grounded semiconductor fingers. Line 442 is the output curve for a vertical Hall effect sensor with a blanket implant at a first doping level, and grounded semiconductor fingers. Line 444 is the output curve for a vertical Hall effect sensor with a blanket implant at the first doping level, and electrically floated semiconductor fingers. Line 446 is the output curve for a vertical Hall effect sensor with a blanket implant at a second doping level that is greater than the doping level for the devices described in Line 442 and Line 444, and electrically floated semiconductor fingers.

Line 444 and Line 446 have much more linear output, in that the percent change in voltage over current increases more linearly with increasing current through the device. This type of linearity is desirable because it allows for greater accuracy and precision of measurements of an incident magnetic field. The differences between the output curves in FIG. 5 illustrate the effect of floating semiconductor fingers (as opposed to grounded semiconductor fingers) on the linearity of the output curve. Combined, FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 show that the depth of current flow and linearity of the output curve may both be maximized by combining blanket implants and electrically floated semiconductor fingers.

Elements of different embodiments described herein may be combined to form other embodiments not specifically set forth above. Other embodiments not specifically described herein are also within the scope of the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A vertical Hall effect sensor comprising: a semiconductor wafer having a first conductivity type; a plurality of semiconductive electrodes disposed on the semiconductor wafer, the plurality of semiconductive electrodes having the first conductivity type, comprising: a source electrode; a first sensing electrode and a second sensing electrode, arranged such that the source electrode is between the first sensing electrode and the second sensing electrode; and a first drain electrode and a second drain electrode, arranged such that the first sensing electrode, second sensing electrode, and source electrode are between the first drain electrode and the second drain electrode; and a plurality of semiconductor fingers disposed on the semiconductor wafer and interdigitated with the plurality of semiconductive electrodes, the semiconductor fingers having a second conductivity type, wherein the plurality of semiconductor fingers interdigitated with the plurality of semiconductive electrodes comprises a first semiconductor finger of the plurality of semiconductor fingers disposed between the source electrode and the first sensing electrode.
 2. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor fingers are between one-tenth and two-tenths of the thickness of the semiconductor wafer.
 3. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor fingers are electrically floated.
 4. The sensor of claim 1, further comprising at least one semiconductor blanket disposed at a first depth below at least one of the plurality of semiconductor electrodes in the semiconductor wafer.
 5. The sensor of claim 4, wherein the first depth is less than a depth of depletion regions beneath the semiconductor fingers.
 6. The sensor of claim 4, wherein the semiconductor blanket includes phosphorous-doped silicon.
 7. The sensor of claim 4, wherein the semiconductor blanket has a higher charge carrier density than an epitaxial portion of the semiconductor wafer.
 8. The sensor of claim 1, wherein a carrier density of the semiconductor wafer increases with distance from the semiconductor electrodes.
 9. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the plurality of semiconductor fingers interdigitated with the plurality of semiconductive electrodes further comprises a second semiconductor finger of the plurality of semiconductor fingers disposed between the source electrode and the second sensing electrode. 